ISU’s TRIO McNair Scholars Program earns $1.3 million grant

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) – Idaho State University’s TRIO McNair Scholars Program has been awarded a five-year $1.3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to support ISU TRIO McNair Scholars as they prepare to continue their education by moving onward into doctoral programs.

The TRIO McNair Scholars Program works to prepare first-generation (defined by the federal government as meaning neither parent has completed a 4-year bachelor's degree) and low-income undergraduates, as well as students traditionally underrepresented in graduate education for doctoral study through involvement in research. The goal of the program is to increase the rate of doctoral program applications by first-generation, limited-income, and underrepresented college students. Data indicates that currently fewer than 4% of students belonging to these groups at ISU go on to pursue graduate degrees.

The McNair Scholars Program serves bachelor’s degree seeking students in their final two years of undergraduate classes at ISU and offers a challenging and supportive environment. McNair Scholars receive the support of program advisors and faculty mentoring, opportunities to publish and present research, research stipends during the summer research internship program, workshops on graduate school applications, assistance in choosing graduate schools, and assistance in securing financial aid resources. Additionally, scholars in the program have the opportunity to present their research at local, state, and national conferences.

The TRIO McNair program at Idaho State University is completing its first grant cycle of five years. To date, 72.5% of graduating TRIO McNair Scholars at ISU have been admitted to graduate school programs. This national grant competition is extremely competitive and requires intense student success metrics be met in order to ensure funding. The program is located within the division of Access and Opportunity programs, a unit of federally funded programs providing services through nine federal grants totaling $3.2 million a year and serving 3,200 individuals per year.

For more information about ISU TRIO McNair contact Kirsti Beck, College Success Programs Administrative Assistant at kirstibeck@isu.edu.

For more information about ISU Access and Opportunity Programs contact Sari Byerly at saribyerly@isu.edu.